Who Should I Start? Kaleb Johnson or Jacory Croskey-Merritt


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Kaleb Johnson News

Kaleb Johnson Given a Clean Slate with New Coaching Staff

Wednesday, April 1, 10:16 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson will be given opportunities to establish himself as a key part of the team's offense in 2026, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. "I am aware of their past experiences, but this is like a Catholic operation, and you say three Hail Marys and everybody has a clean slate and let's get to work," McCarthy said regarding Johnson (via Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com). The veteran head coach also explained that he's going to "challenge [Johnson] to be a three-down player and a special teamer" going forward. The former third-round pick mostly played on special teams as a rookie last year, amassing just 29 touches and 78 scrimmage yards on offense. The Steelers already have Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in their backfield, but it sounds like Johnson will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves more touches in Year 2. Dynasty managers in deeper leagues should hold Johnson for now. In shallower leagues, it's perfectly appropriate to drop him, despite McCarthy's optimistic comments.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jacory Croskey-Merritt News

Jacory Croskey-Merritt's Year Two Value Tied to Pick No. 7 in the NFL Draft

Saturday, April 18, 6:00 AM

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was one of the most fun stories heading into the 2025 season, and through the first month of his rookie campaign, the man known simply as "Bill" looked to be making good on all the preseason hype. Playing behind an above-average offensive line, Croskey-Merritt was able to churn out chunk plays at a league-leading level, averaging 11.6 fantasy points per game through Week 5 despite minimal usage in the passing game. Unfortunately, the big plays eventually dried up, and Croskey-Merritt finished the year as RB31, working in almost a true 50/50 split with Chris Rodriguez Jr. by the end of the season. The Commanders have since replaced Rodriguez with Rachaad White, which could be viewed as a win for Croskey-Merritt managers, as White's greatest contributions have come catching the ball, a market that Croskey-Merritt was never going to own. However, Washington is one of the teams picking in the top 10 of the upcoming NFL Draft that has been tied to Notre Dame prospect Jeremiyah Love. Should he become their pick on Day 1, Croskey-Merritt would be relegated to little more than change-of-pace duty. If the Commanders opt to go in a different direction, or if Love has already been selected by the time they're on the clock, Croskey-Merritt, who is currently RotoBaller's dynasty RB44, could still provide value as a low-end RB2 or flex play.


Kaleb Johnson vs. Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Still trying to decide between Johnson and Croskey-Merritt? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kaleb Johnson is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Jacory Croskey-Merritt is projected to score 0.0 points.